Friday, January 25, 2013

Inclement weather forced most area schools to close Friday and forced major changes to athletic schedules. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools had early dismissal and CMS athletics director Sue Doran said all CMS sporting events for Friday and Saturday were off, including the Southwestern 4A swimming.

Here are postponements and reschedule dates. Keep checking back for more.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

With a wintry mix of snow and rain forecast for the Charlotte-area Friday, several area high schools have made changes to their athletic schedules.

At least five area schools moved Friday games to Thursday night, including a big Big South 3A doubleheader betwen Ashbrook and Crest.

North Mecklenburg's basketball doubleheader at Lake Norman, originally scheduled for Friday, has been postponed and moved to Wednesday night.

Sue Doran, athletics director for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, said CMS was monitoring the weather but was not currently planning any schedule changes. If school is not in session Friday or students are released early, Doran said all scheduled basketball games. All Saturday CMS events, including the Southwestern 4A swim meet, would also be postponed if school is postponed or students released early, Doran said.

Friday's I-Meck 4A conference swim meet has been postponed and may not be rescheduled. Lake Norman and Mooresville, two Iredell County schools in the conference, will not participate in any athletic events Friday. That move forced the swim meet to be called off.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Providence Day, No. 16 in the Observer’s high school basketball Sweet 16 poll, and rival Charlotte Latin, each had successful conference play openers Tuesday.

The teams meet in a big showdown at Providence Day Friday.

Charlotte Latin (15-2, 1-0 CISAA) won its seventh straight game with an easy 65-45 win over Charlotte Country Day.

The Hawks, ranked No. 5 in the N.C. 3A private school poll, are winning by more than 14 points per game for coach Chris Berger, a former Hawks player.

Latin trailed 10-9 after the first quarter and led only 24-23 at halftime, but the blew the game open in the third quarter. Hawks star Jacob Nabatoff had 22 points, 11 rebounds and four steals. Rusty Reigel had 15 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Providence Day (16-4, 1-0) is in the midst of one of its best seasons in years. The Chargers beat Concord’s Cannon School 74-58 Tuesday. Junior guard Jordan Watkins, a Davidson recruit, didn’t play due a back injury, but the Chargers got 17 points and six rebounds from 6-6 freshman center Grant Williams and 19 points, four rebounds and four assists from Duke football recruit Bryon Fields.

Monday, January 14, 2013

The Mavericks (13-2) rose four spots to No. 12. Mallard Creek has won its last two games against I-Meck 4A conference rivals Hopewell and North Mecklenburg to pull into a tie for second place in the league standings.

Mallard Creek is off Tuesday and resumes play Friday at Sweet 16 No. 1 West Charlotte in what is the Observer’s overall high school game of the week.

In the girls poll, Myers Park is holding steady at No. 1 under new coach Barbara Nelson. The Mustangs have moved to No. 18 in USA Today’s national poll.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Mallard Creek All-American receiver Marquez North will announce his college decision on national college signing day next month, his father told the Observer.

North, the top recruit in the Carolinas, will announce his choice during a Feb. 6 news conference at the school, when all of Mallard Creek’s football players will be signing their letters of intent.

North, 6-3 and 215 pounds, plans to visit Clemson this weekend, his father, Ramondo, said, and will visit North Carolina on Jan. 18.

Ramondo North said his son will choose from among Clemson, North Carolina and Tennessee. Ramondo North said the family ruled out Florida after a recent visit there.

The elder North said his son is fully recovered from shoulder surgery during October, which forced him to miss the playoffs. Ramondo North said Marquez was injured during a 7-on-7 scrimmage last summer.

“He played all season with it,” Ramondo North said, “but as the season went on, it got weaker and weaker. When we were on a visit to Tennessee, (the shoulder) popped out (of its socket) while he was asleep. I pulled him right there. I just thought it was best to not play anymore.”

Monday, January 7, 2013

No. 2 West Charlotte will play No. 3 Hough
(10-2, 3-0) at home. The Huskies have won seven straight games behind
forward Luke Maye (19.2 ppg, 14.2 rpg) and is winning by 14 points per
game.

Tuesday’s other feature game is at United Faith, where the
Falcons -- coached by former NBA star Muggsy Bogues -- play arch rival
Victory Christian. Both teams are favorites to win the Southern Piedmont
conference championship. The game will feature at least six Division I
recruits and match up teams that have won multiple state titles.

Victory
Christian won 2A championships in 2007, 2008 and 2010. The Kings won
five straight 1A state titles from 1995-99 as well as the 2003 1A
championship. United Faith won the 2009 and 2010 1A championships and
lost in the 2011 final.

Tuesday’s High School Basketball ScheduleAlbermarle at Graystone Day SchoolA.L. Brown at Mount PleasantAshbrook at ForestviewBessemer City at North LincolnBunker Hill at DraughnBurns at East RutherfordCarmel Christian at CannonChallenger at Lincoln CharterCharlotte Catholic at HardingChase at ShelbyCheraw (SC) at Indian Land (SC)Cherryville at East LincolnClover (SC) at Northwestern (SC)Concord at Cox MillCrest at Hunter HussCrossroads Charter at Grace AcademyCuthbertson at Central AcademyEast Burke at Newton ConoverEast Gaston at GaringerEast Rowan at North IredellEvelyn Mack at Hargrave AcademyFirst Assembly at Gaston ChristianFred T. Foard at South CaldwellGaston Day at Charlotte LatinHibriten at St. StephensHickory at Alexander CentralHickory Grove at Northside ChristianHough at West CharlotteJay M. Robinson at Central CabarrusKings Mountain at North GastonLancaster (SC) at Fort Mill (SC)Lincolnton at Highland TechMaiden at South IredellMonroe at North StanlyMooresville Senior at HopewellMount Zion at Kennedy CharterNorth Mecklenburg at Mallard CreekNorthwest Cabarrus at Hickory RidgeOlympic at West MecklenburgPatton at R.S. CentralPiedmont at Forest HillsPorter Ridge at Marvin RidgeRocky River at East MecklenburgSalisbury at West RowanSouthLake Christian at Metrolina ChristianSouth Pointe (SC) at Nations Ford (SC)South Rowan at CarsonStatesville at West IredellSun Valley at AnsonUnion Academy at West StanlyVance at Lake NormanVictory Christian at United FaithWalnut Grove at Providence DayWatauga at Wilkes CentralWeddington at ParkwoodWest Caldwell at BandysWestminster Catawba (SC) at Covenant DayWest Lincoln at Lake Norman CharterYork (SC) at Rock Hill (SC)

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee has announced
Brian Hales from Butler High School in Matthews, N.C. as the 2013 Xenith
National Coach of the Year. The award honors the Nation’s top high
school football coach, recognizing exceptional coaching abilities and
leadership skills as well as serving as a positive influence to the
youth of America on and off the field.

“The Army is strong because
of the incredible leaders it recruits and develops,” said Mark Davis,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Marketing and Director of the
Army Marketing and Research Group. “Coach Hales exemplifies similar
leadership strengths and provides invaluable guidance to his players
both on and off the field. We congratulate Coach Hales on his
achievements and for being recognized as the Coach of the Year.”

Coach
Hales will receive the Yoast Award, named after the legendary Coach
Bill Yoast, who along with Coach Herman Boone was immortalized in the
movie “Remember the Titans.”

Coaches are nominated and selected by
the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee. Bob Beatty of
Trinity High School, Louisville, Ky., was the winner of the 2012
National Coach of the Year award. Other nominees this year included:
Claude Mathis from DeSoto High School in DeSoto Texas, J.T. Curtis from
Curtis High School in River Ridge La., Butch Goncharoff from Bellevue
High School in Bellevue Wash., Mike Jinks from Steele High School in
Cibolo, Texas and Joe Kinnan from Manatee High School in Bradenton, Fla.